The Fight Against Evictions: The Power of Collective Action & The Real Crisis Behind the Housing Shortage
Winter 2023, Food & Solidarity were at the forefront of the eviction crisis, mobilising the community to push back against unjust housing practices, government cuts, and a system that threatened to leaves many people without a roof over their heads.
In late 2023, As the UK government moved to block charities from providing tents to homeless people, they continue to allow the number one cause of homelessness, no-fault evictions, to persist, breaking their promise to ban them. At the same time, the government is fast-tracking asylum claims, leading to a new crisis for refugees who, after being granted status, are facing eviction just one week later.
Councils like Gateshead and North Tyneside have already relinquished their duty to house single male refugees, leaving them to street homelessness. While Newcastle City Council had resisted this trend, they expect to receive 500 new housing applications per month from this group alone in addition to this section 21 evictions were at an all-time high (due to cost of living leading private landlords to liquidate assets. This government-orchestrated crisis aims to deflect attention from the actual causes of housing insecurity, such as the persistence of Section 21 evictions, a lack of investment in social housing, the harmful impact of right to buy, and the dominance of the private rental sector.
Food & Solidarity has been fighting these injustices head-on. Last winter, during the eviction crisis, we achieved critical wins by resisting unfair evictions, putting pressure on landlords and councils, and advocating for housing rights for refugees and other vulnerable groups. But we can’t do it alone. You need to join us
Key Demands -Eviction the Real Crisis Behind the Housing Shortage
During the eviction crisis, we demanded:
More Housing, Not Less - Newcastle City Council planned to slash funding for temporary housing, despite the rising numbers of people facing homelessness. We demanded that these cuts be halted and that temporary housing provision be expanded, not reduced. Cutting these services during a crisis would only have worsened the situation, forcing more people into homelessness.
Priority Need - Local authorities are not automatically required to rehouse you, unless you can show you will suffer more than the average person with being homeless. We fought to reinstate priority need status for all vulnerable individuals in Gateshead and North Tyneside. These councils had begun denying their responsibility to house refugees with newly granted status, leaving them vulnerable to homelessness. We demanded that these councils follow Newcastle City Council’s example, which had been providing 100% rehousing for refugees.
No Evictions! - Private companies, like Mears, that house asylum seekers must follow the lead of non-profit housing associations such as Home Group and Your Homes Newcastle, who had committed to evict no one into homelessness. We put direct pressure on Mears to stop evictions of asylum seekers, especially in light of the government's new policies that shortened move-on periods for refugees, giving them just seven days to find housing after their asylum claims were granted.
What We Did: Actions and Victories: Eviction the Real Crisis Behind the Housing Shortage
Our campaign was built on grassroots organizing, direct actions, and a constant push for change:
Protests and Direct Actions: We organized multiple protests, including outside Mears’ offices in Darlington, where we demanded they stop the mass evictions of refugees into homelessness. Public pressure played a critical role in forcing the Home Office to reverse its policy on seven-day evictions, restoring the 28-day move-on period for refugees.
Stalls and Awareness Campaigns: In neighbourhoods across Newcastle, including Benwell, we held stalls to raise awareness about the crisis and collect public support. We called on people to fill out consultations and submit responses to the council to stop the cuts.
Council Disruptions: When Gateshead Council failed to meet our demands, we disrupted their meetings, drawing attention to the severity of the housing crisis and forcing local officials to listen to our members’ stories.
The Wins: Eviction the Real Crisis Behind the Housing Shortage
Our collective efforts led to tangible victories:
Cuts to Temporary Housing Halted: After months of campaigning, Newcastle City Council put its planned cuts to homelessness prevention services on hold, a direct result of the pressure we applied. This was a significant step in ensuring that the most vulnerable are not left without support during the current housing crisis.
Seven-Day Evictions Stopped: In a major win, the Home Office reversed its policy of seven-day evictions for refugees. This victory came after relentless pressure from Food & Solidarity and allied organizations.
Why You Are Needed: Eviction the Real Crisis Behind the Housing Shortage
The eviction are far from a thing of the past. Thousands of families, including children, are still living in temporary accommodation, with more at risk as the cost-of-living crisis deepens. Our campaign showed that when we stand together, we can make real change. But we need more people to join us in this fight.
Whether you’ve been personally affected by housing injustice or want to help protect your community, your voice and your action can make a difference. At Food & Solidarity, we believe in solidarity, not charity. Our work is about building collective power to challenge unjust systems and ensure that everyone has the right to safe and secure housing.
How You Can Get Involved
Join: Become part of a movement that fights for housing justice. Your involvement will help us plan and execute direct actions, support individuals facing eviction, and hold landlords and councils accountable.
Sign up and learn more about how you can make a difference in the fight for housing justice.
The Fight Against
Evictions:
The Power of Collective Action
& The Real Crisis Behind the Housing Shortage
Last winter, Food & Solidarity were at the forefront of the eviction crisis, mobilising the community to push back against unjust housing practices, government cuts, and a system that threatened to leaves many people without a roof over their heads.
In late 2023, As the UK government moved to block charities from providing tents to homeless people, they continue to allow the number one cause of homelessness—no-fault evictions—to persist, breaking their promise to ban them. At the same time, the government is fast-tracking asylum claims, leading to a new crisis for refugees who, after being granted status, are facing eviction just one week later.
Councils like Gateshead and North Tyneside have already relinquished their duty to house single male refugees, leaving them to street homelessness. While Newcastle City Council had resisted this trend, they expect to receive 500 new housing applications per month from this group alone in addition to this section 21 evictions were at an all-time high (due to cost of living leading private landlords to liquidate assets. This government-orchestrated crisis aims to deflect attention from the actual causes of housing insecurity, such as the persistence of Section 21 evictions, a lack of investment in social housing, the harmful impact of right to buy, and the dominance of the private rental sector.
Food & Solidarity has been fighting these injustices head-on. Last winter, during the eviction crisis, we achieved critical wins by resisting unfair evictions, putting pressure on landlords and councils, and advocating for housing rights for refugees and other vulnerable groups. But we can’t do it alone. You need to join us
Key Demands
During the eviction crisis, we demanded:
More Housing, Not Less - Newcastle City Council planned to slash funding for temporary housing, despite the rising numbers of people facing homelessness. We demanded that these cuts be halted and that temporary housing provision be expanded, not reduced. Cutting these services during a crisis would only have worsened the situation, forcing more people into homelessness.
Priority Need - Local authorities are not automatically required to rehouse you, unless you can show you will suffer more than the average person with being homeless. We fought to reinstate priority need status for all vulnerable individuals in Gateshead and North Tyneside. These councils had begun denying their responsibility to house refugees with newly granted status, leaving them vulnerable to homelessness. We demanded that these councils follow Newcastle City Council’s example, which had been providing 100% rehousing for refugees.
No Evictions! - Private companies, like Mears, that house asylum seekers must follow the lead of non-profit housing associations such as Home Group and Your Homes Newcastle, who had committed to evict no one into homelessness. We put direct pressure on Mears to stop evictions of asylum seekers, especially in light of the government's new policies that shortened move-on periods for refugees, giving them just seven days to find housing after their asylum claims were granted.